State|2010 Population|2000 Population|% Change|# NHL teams| # NBA teams| #MLB Teams| # NFL Teams | #MLS teams
California|37 253 956|33 871 648|9.99%|3|4|5|3|3
Texas|25 145 561|20 851 820|20.59%|1|3|2|2|2
New York|19 378 102|18 976 457|2.12%|3|2**|2|3**|1**
Florida|18 801 310|15 982 378|17.64%|2|2|2|3|0
Illinois|12 830 632|12 419 293|3.31%|1|1|2|1|1
Pennsylvania|12 702 379|12 281 054|3.43%|2|1|2|2|1
Ohio|11 536 504|11 353 140|1.62%|1|1|2|2|1
Michigan|9 883 640|9 938 444|-0.55%|1|1|1|1|0
Georgia|9 687 653|8 186 453|18.34%|0|1|1|1|0
North Carolina|9 535 483|8 049 313|18.46%|1|1|0|1|0
New Jersey|8 791 894|8 414 350|4.49%|1|2**|2**|2**|1**
Virginia|8 001 024|7 078 515|13.03%|1*|1*|1*|1*|1*
Washington|6 724 540|5 894 121|14.09%|0|0|1|1|1
Massachusetts|6 547 629|6 349 097|3.13%|1|1|1|1|1
Indiana|6 483 802|6 080 485|6.63%|0|1|0|1|0
Arizona|6 392 017|5 130 632|24.59%|1|1|1|1|0
Tennessee|6 346 105|5 689 283|11.54%|1|1|0|1|0
Missouri|5 988 927|5 595 211|7.04%|1|0|2|2|1*
Maryland|5 773 552|5 296 486|9.01%|1*|1*|2*|2*|1*
Wisconsin|5 686 986|5 363 675|6.03%|0|1|1|1|0
Minnesota|5 303 925|4 919 479|7.81%|1|1|1|1|0
Colorado|5 029 196|4 301 261|16.92%|1|1|1|1|1
Alabama|4 779 736|4 447 100|7.48%|0|0|0|0|0
South Carolina|4 625 364|4 012 012|15.29%|0|0|0|0|0
Louisiana|4 533 372|4 468 976|1.44%|0|1|0|1|0
Kentucky|4 339 367|4 041 769|7.36%|0|0|0|0|0
Oregon|3 831 074|3 421 399|11.97%|0|1|0|0|1
Oklahoma|3 751 351|3 450 654|8.71%|0|1|0|0|0
Puerto Rico|3 725 789|3 808 610|-2.17%|0|0|0|0|0
Connecticut|3 574 097|3 405 565|4.95%|0|0|0|0|0
Iowa|3 046 355|2 926 324|4.10%|0|0|0|0|0
Mississippi|2 967 297|2 844 658|4.31%|0|0|0|0|0
Arkansas|2 915 918|2 673 400|9.07%|0|0|0|0|0
Kansas|2 853 118|2 688 418|6.13%|0|0|1*|1*|1*
Utah|2 763 885|2 233 169|23.77%|0|1|0|0|1
Nevada|2 700 551|1 998 257|35.15%|0|0|0|0|0
New Mexico|2 059 179|1 819 046|13.20%|0|0|0|0|0
West Virginia|1 852 994|1 808 344|2.47%|0|0|0|0|0
Nebraska|1 826 341|1 711 263|6.72%|0|0|0|0|0
Idaho|1 567 582|1 293 953|21.15%|0|0|0|0|0
Hawaii|1 360 301|1 211 537|12.28%|0|0|0|0|0
Maine|1 328 361|1 274 923|4.19%|0|0|0|0|0
New Hampshire|1 316 470|1 235 786|6.53%|0|0|0|0|0
Rhode Island|1 052 567|1 048 319|0.41%|0|0|0|0|0
Montana| 989 415| 902 195|9.67%|0|0|0|0|0
Delaware| 900 877| 783 600|14.97%|0|0|0|0|0
South Dakota| 814 180| 754 844|7.86%|0|0|0|0|0
Alaska| 710 231| 626 932|13.29%|0|0|0|0|0
North Dakota| 672 591| 642 200|4.73%|0|0|0|0|0
Vermont| 625 741| 608 827|2.78%|0|0|0|0|0
Washington D.C.| 601 723| 572 059|5.19%|1*|1*|1*|1*|1*
Wyoming| 563 626| 493 782|14.14%|0|0|0|0|0
*For the purposes of this chart, DC area teams are counted once in each of virginia, maryland, and DC. Similarly, KC teams are double counted in Kansas and Missouri.
**NYC baseball, football, and basketball teams are doublecounted in NY and NJ. Only the devils are counted for the NHL.
-Texas appears to be underserved. Houston is often thrown around as a potential NHL location, and this shows why.
-Washington is a large, growing state with no NHL team. Once city data is available, seattle's rank vs other metropolitan areas or combined statistical areas will clarify if the NHL should make it a priority.
-If the coyotes were to move, arizona would likely represent one of the top potential markets for the NHL.
I included the top 51, because rochester and albany are essentially equivalent, though both are likely irrelevant to any discussion here.
*The panthers were counted as miami. Yeah... i know, but it makes the most sense. Also of note, the green bay packers are not represented on this list, for obvious reasons.
City* | Census 2010* | Census 2000* | Growth %* | # NHL teams* | # NBA teams* | # MLB teams* | # NFL teams* | # MLS teams*
New York, NY-NJ-CT-PA (CSA) | 22,232,494 | 21,361,797 | 4.08% | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1
Los Angeles, CA (CSA) | 17,820,893 | 16,373,645 | 8.84% | 2 | 2 | 2 | | 2
Chicago, IL-IN-WI (CSA) | 9,804,845 | 9,312,255 | 5.29% | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1
Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV (CSA) | 8,440,617 | 7,572,647 | 11.46% | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1
Boston, MA-RI-NH (CSA) | 7,609,358 | 7,298,695 | 4.26% | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1
San Francisco, CA (CSA) | 7,427,757 | 7,092,596 | 4.73% | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1
Dallas, TX (CSA) | 6,805,275 | 5,487,956 | 24.00% | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1
Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD (CSA) | 6,533,122 | 6,207,223 | 5.25% | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1
Houston, TX (CSA) | 5,968,586 | 4,815,122 | 23.96% | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1
Atlanta, GA-AL (CSA) | 5,831,778 | 4,548,344 | 28.22% | | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Miami, FL (MSA) | 5,547,051 | 5,007,564 | 10.77% | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Detroit, MI (CSA) | 5,327,764 | 5,357,538 | -0.56% | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Phoenix, AZ (MSA) | 4,364,094 | 3,251,876 | 34.20% | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Seattle, WA (CSA) | 4,158,293 | 3,707,144 | 12.17% | | | 1 | 1 | 1
Minneapolis, MN-WI (CSA) | 3,604,460 | 3,271,888 | 10.16% | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Denver, CO (CSA) | 3,110,436 | 2,629,980 | 18.27% | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1
San Diego, CA (MSA) | 3,053,793 | 2,813,833 | 8.53% | | | 1 | 1 |
St. Louis, MO-IL (CSA) | 2,892,874 | 2,754,328 | 5.03% | 1 | | 1 | 1 |
Cleveland, OH (CSA) | 2,891,988 | 2,945,831 | -1.83% | | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Orlando, FL (CSA) | 2,747,614 | 2,191,081 | 25.40% | | 1 | | |
Tampa, FL (MSA) | 2,747,272 | 2,395,997 | 14.66% | 1 | | 1 | 1 |
Pittsburgh, PA (CSA) | 2,445,117 | 2,525,730 | -3.19% | 1 | | 1 | 1 |
Sacramento, CA-NV (CSA) | 2,436,109 | 2,069,298 | 17.73% | | 1 | | |
Charlotte, NC-SC (CSA) | 2,389,763 | 1,897,034 | 25.97% | | 1 | | 1 |
Portland, OR-WA (MSA) | 2,241,841 | 1,927,881 | 16.29% | | 1 | | | 1
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN (CSA) | 2,214,954 | 2,050,175 | 8.04% | | | 1 | 1 |
Kansas City, MO-KS (CSA) | 2,136,653 | 1,901,070 | 12.39% | | | 1 | 1 | 1
San Antonio, TX (MSA) | 2,072,128 | 1,711,703 | 21.06% | | 1 | | |
Indianapolis, IN (CSA) | 2,064,870 | 1,843,588 | 12.00% | | 1 | | 1 |
Columbus, OH (CSA) | 2,031,229 | 1,835,189 | 10.68% | 1 | | | | 1
Las Vegas, NV (CSA) | 1,947,068 | 1,408,250 | 38.26% | | | | |
Milwaukee, WI (CSA) | 1,760,268 | 1,689,572 | 4.18% | | 1 | 1 | |
Austin, TX (CSA) | 1,750,224 | 1,283,910 | 36.32% | | | | |
Salt Lake City, UT (CSA) | 1,743,364 | 1,469,474 | 18.64% | | 1 | | | 1
Raleigh, NC (CSA) | 1,742,816 | 1,314,589 | 32.57% | 1 | | | |
Norfolk, VA-NC (MSA) | 1,674,498 | 1,576,370 | 6.22% | | | | |
Nashville, TN (CSA) | 1,666,566 | 1,381,287 | 20.65% | 1 | | | 1 |
Greensboro, NC (CSA) | 1,581,122 | 1,414,656 | 11.77% | | | | |
Louisville, KY-IN (CSA) | 1,395,634 | 1,292,482 | 7.98% | | | | |
Jacksonville, FL (MSA) | 1,328,144 | 1,122,750 | 18.29% | | | | 1 |
Grand Rapids, MI (CSA) | 1,327,366 | 1,254,661 | 5.79% | | | | |
Hartford, CT (CSA) | 1,313,516 | 1,257,709 | 4.44% | | | | |
Memphis, TN-MS-AR (MSA) | 1,304,926 | 1,205,204 | 8.27% | | 1 | | |
Oklahoma City, OK (CSA) | 1,297,552 | 1,160,942 | 11.77% | | 1 | | |
Greenville, SC (CSA) | 1,264,930 | 1,128,104 | 12.13% | | | | |
Richmond, VA (MSA) | 1,238,187 | 1,096,957 | 12.87% | | | | |
New Orleans, LA (CSA) | 1,235,650 | 1,360,436 | -9.17% | | 1 | | 1 |
Buffalo, NY (CSA) | 1,203,493 | 1,254,066 | -4.03% | 1 | | | 1 |
Birmingham, AL (CSA) | 1,212,848 | 1,129,721 | 7.36% | | | | |
Albany, NY (CSA) | 1,151,653 | 1,118,095 | 3.00% | | | | |
Rochester, NY (CSA) | 1,127,483 | 1,131,543 | -0.36% | | | | |
- my expectations from above seem to be correct. Houston and Seattle are the two largest unserved markets for the NHL.
- if phoenix were indeed abandoned, it would join that group.
- 5 of the top 51 cities are shrinking. NO gets a pass for obvious reasons. Cleveland isnt an NHL market, but in retrospect maybe a very good choice by the NHL on the cleveland/columbus question. The other 3, Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo, are core hockey markets. This may be a bit of a concern, but the hockey tradition in these cities combined with strong ownership (thanks pegula) should mitigate any fears of future nhl success.
- kansas city may seem low on this list, but look at the other cities above it (ignoring houston, seattle, and phoenix of course).
- that leaves portland, which is probably a better hockey market than KC, but, as all portland convos go... Paul Allen.